Our recent stay in Freudenberg was truly delightful and left us with a very pleasant experience. We were particularly enchanted by the historic town center, known as the “Alter Flecken.” This unique ensemble of black and white half-timbered houses, built gable to the street, is incredibly picturesque and makes you feel as though you’ve stepped back into the 17th century. Walking through the winding, cobblestoned streets was a joy; it’s easy to see why the town center is considered a building monument of international importance. We also enjoyed the area around the motorhome stopover near the recreational pond or lake. The opportunity to take a nice walk along the water’s edge offered a wonderful contrast to the town’s architecture, providing a peaceful, nature-filled retreat. Our entire time in Freudenberg was serene and restful. As for the town’s history, the settlement of Freudenberg, located in the Siegerland region of North Rhine-Westphalia, can be traced back to at least the 14th century, with its castle and village first mentioned in 1389. The Counts of Nassau founded the castle and settlement over the Weibe Valley as a corner post for their domain. The town was granted what were essentially minimal town rights, or “freedom rights,” in 1456 by Count Johann IV. The historic core, the “Alter Flecken,” was devastated by a major fire in 1666. Following this disaster, Prince Johann Moritz von Nassau-Siegen ordered the town to be rebuilt in a consistent style, closely following the layout that had been planned in the mid-16th century, which is what gives the half-timbered town center its remarkably uniform and beautiful appearance today. The modern form of Freudenberg came into being much later, in 1969, through the merger of seventeen formerly independent municipalities.
